page_title: Shea Couleé
section_title: Career
hierarchical_section_title: Shea Couleé / Career
caption_attribution_description: Shea Couleé at RuPaul's DragCon LA 2018
context_page_description: Jaren Kyei Merrell, known professionally as Shea Couleé, is an American drag queen, musician and fixture of the Chicago nightlife scene. Merrell is known for competing on season 9 of RuPaul's Drag Race and as the winner of season 5 of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. Born in Chicago, Illinois, she began her drag career in 2012.
  In 2017, they released their debut EP, Couleé-D, along with accompanying music videos. Since then, she has continued her musical career, starred in her own web series, and embarked on domestic and international tours, including Werq the World, Haters Roast, and A Drag Queen Christmas.
context_section_description: At one point, they were asked to perform as a dancer in a burlesque show "Jeezy's Juke Joint". After an email mishap, they ended up performing a solo act for the show, their first time in Drag.
  They have performed at various venues in Chicago, including Roscoe's, Berlin, Double Door, and Hydrate. In Chicago, they also worked as a resident host at Smart Bar, and was a Co-Host for the Tony Soto Show. At one point, Couleé competed in Miss Roscoe's Pageant.  
  Before doing Drag full-time, Couleé also worked part-time as a sales associate and customer service representative for an adult store "Tulip". 
  In 2016, Couleé was photographed for Glossed and Found magazine.
  In April, Couleé was featured in Peppermint's Too Funky music video.
  In May 2017, Couleé performed as part of the Werq the World 2017 tour. The tour, hosted by Bianca Del Rio and Michelle Visage, also featured drag queens Alaska Thunderfuck, Alyssa Edwards, Detox, Latrice Royale, and Violet Chachki.
  Shea Couleé co-produced, directed, and starred in their own film Lipstick City in July 2017.
  In April 2018, Couleé premiered Call Me Couleé, a web series documenting Couleé's life post Drag Race. The series lasted six episodes, and concluded on October 18, 2018. In September 2018, Shea Couleé performed as a background dancer for Christina Aguilera for Opening Ceremony's Spring 2019 collection, alongside other Drag Race alumni. They were photographed with Farrah Moan for Manny MUA's Lunar Beauty palette.
  In June 2018, Couleé and other RuPaul's Drag Race alum Asia O'Hara and Monét X Change performed in The Vixen's widely popular Black Girl Magic, a drag show created to showcase the talent of black drag queens.
  In November, Coulee was featured as a part of Lush's "Merry DRAGMas" Campaign, alongside Detox and Kim Chi. 
  In March 2019, they appeared in the music video for Iggy Azalea's "Sally Walker". The same month, they joined the Drag World UK lineup, which began touring in June.
  In May, they were photographed with Farrah Moan and Violet Chachki for Huda Beauty’s new Setting Spray.
  Couleé was one of the Inspirations for Sina Grace's character of Shade, Marvel's first Drag Queen superhero.
  Couleé has embarked on several world tours following their success on Drag Race including headlining the "War on the Catwalk" and "A Drag Queen Christmas", among others. Coulee was added to the Drag Race "Haters Roast: The Shady Tour" comedy tour with other Drag Race alumnae in 2019. 
  They also headlined a one-woman show in 2019, entitled "Coulee With A 'C'". An autobiographical show, it combined song, story, and comedy, revolving around their upbringing and how they got into drag.
  Couleé's makeup and look transformations have been featured in publications such as Cosmopolitan.
  In October, Coulee published their first article for Metro. In January 2020, Couleé attended the first ever RuPaul's DragCon UK.
  In March 5th and 6th, Couleé will be performing alongside fellow drag race alum Bebe Zahara Benet, Bob The Drag Queen, Monique Heart, Peppermint, and The Vixen in Nubia tour. The tour began its run with sold-out shows in New York City, and has plans to visit Los Angeles, as well as other major cities across the United States. 
  On May 28, Couleé announced the release of Shea Coul-Alé, a beer in collaboration with DoStuff Media and Goose Island Brewery as a part of their Drag a Beer campaign. A portion of all profits from the beer will go to an organization that supports individuals within the LGBTQ community.
caption: Shea Couleé in 2018
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